Luisella babai is a species of sea slug, an aeolid nudibranch, a marine gastropod mollusc in the family SamlidaeMolluscaBase eds. (2026). MolluscaBase. Luisella babai (Schmekel, 1972). Accessed through: World Register of Marine Species on 2026-05-31..
Etymology The specific epithet babai honors the Japanese malacologist Kikutaro Baba.DORIS - Données d'Observations pour la Reconnaissance et l'Identification de la faune et la flore Subaquatiques
Distribution This species was described from the Mediterranean Sea where it is a fairly common species. It is also present in the Adriatic Sea and it has also been reported from the Atlantic coasts of Spain, Portugal and Senegal.Rudman, W.B., 2002 (June 10) Flabellina babai Schmekel, 1972. [In] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. It inhabits rocky bottoms at depths of 5 to 50 m.
Description Luisella babai can reach a length of about . Body is usually white to light blue, elongated and translucent with a white edge and a long sharp pointed tail. Cerata are arranged in groups of 3–9. They show the same body color with yellow-orange rings on the terminal parts. The two long tentacles in their anterior part have the same color of the body. Also the two rhinophores in their upper part shows the same color of the body, with a yellow terminal part. Digestive system and liver are visible in transparency.T.M. Gosliner, R.C. Willian Review of the Flabellinidae from the Tropical Indo-Pacific The Veliger Vol. 34 - California Malacozoological Society - Northern California Malacozoological Club
This species is rather similar to Samla bicolor (Kelaart, 1858), but S. bicolor can be found only in the Indo-Pacific.
Biology Hermaphrodite, like all nudibranchs, it deposits on the branches of the hydrozoans a white gelatinous spiral cord composed of thousands of eggs from which five to eight days later veliger larvae hatch. These nudibranchs feed on hydroids, manly Campanularia, Bougainvillia and Eudendrium species.
Gallery
References